Fossil-fuel fired boiler systems have been utilized for generating electricity. One type of fossil-fuel fired boiler system combusts an air/coal mixture to generate heat energy that increases a temperature of water to produce steam. The steam is utilized to drive a turbine generator that outputs electrical power.
A by-product of combusting an oxygen and a hydrocarbon-based fuel mixture, such an air/coal mixture, is carbon monoxide (CO). One objective of a control system controlling operation of a coal fired boiler system is to maintain total CO levels exiting a boiler system below a threshold level. The inventors herein have recognized that CO levels at particular locations in the boiler system can have CO levels greater than a threshold CO level while other locations have CO levels less than the threshold CO level. Further, the variance of CO levels in the boiler system can result in increased total CO emissions and local CO concentrations above the threshold level.
Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for an improved system and method for controlling a boiler system that can determine locations within the boiler system that have relatively high CO levels and that can adjust an air-fuel (A/F) ratio of burners affecting those locations to decrease CO levels therein.